U.T.A. Seminar with Master Nicholls VIII, 9th November 2013
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In celebration of Letchworth
Taekwon-do School''s tenth successful year, Mr Owen V, hosted a four hour
seminar with Master Nicholls VIII at the Letchworth Taekwon-Do School Dojang.

Instructors and students
from the UTA schools and associate groups arrived early in the morning, to be
ready for the arrival of Master Nicholls and the seminar to begin. The seminar
began promptly at 9am with a general warm up led by Mr Bonfield V.

Master Nicholls began by
introducing himself and his experiences in Taekwon-do and what training in
Taekwon-do should be about, for the student. 
"Competition is only a small
part of training, you train for yourself and only seek to be better than yourself."

Master Nicholls started the
practical part of the session, organising the students into  a circle around the hall.  The seminar focussed on kicks that do not
involve the pivot or twist of the body/supporting foot e.g. front rising kick,
front snap kick, vertical kick etc... 
Master Nicholls highlighted the importance of not sacrificing technique
for height in the kick, "you can get
from 10th Kup to 9th Dan without doing high kicks, if you can show
understanding of the technique in your kicks."  Master Nicholls taught where the power comes
from in non-pivoting kicks through utilisation of the supporting knee and the
''hip jerk''.  The kicks were practised on
the spot before splitting into small groups for working with kick shields.  A short break followed by some leg
strengthening exercises to warm the legs back up before progressing to some
technical teachings with the differences between outward pressing kick and side
piercing kick, as performed in Kwang-Gae Tul. 
The technical teaching came to a close with the ITF''s clarification on
the difference between single, fast and continuous motions through practising
Chon-Ji Tul to Do-San Tul with the clarifications being made for each
pattern.  Master Nicholls in this part of
the seminar congratulated Mr Glenn Horan VI, UTA chairman on his role in the
ITF technical committee and affirmed the point he has made at previous
seminars, that Mr Horan is one of the most technical Taekwondo practitioners in
the world and that his technical knowledge is top class.

Master Nicholls was
presented with a ceremonial plate to thank him for leading the seminar and
recognition of his work for Taekwon-Do. 
Mr Owen was also presented an award of recognition by his instructor,
and UTA chairman Mr Horan in celebration of Letchworth Taekwon-Do Schools tenth
year.

The seminar came to a close
leaving all those who took part with plenty to take back to their own training
and for the 4th degree grading to commence with Miss Kathryn Thompson, Mr Peter
Scurr and Mrs Kirsty Owen.

The evening banquet followed
at Letchworth hall hotel with students from UTA schools and associate groups
filling the room with the UTA committee seated with Master Nicholls.  Speeches followed the meal from Master
Nicholls, Mr Horan and Mr Owen followed by the results from the afternoon''s
grading. 

Congratulations to those who
graded and were promoted to fourth degree. 
The promoted black belts were presented with their new doboks and belts.
Kirsty Owen IV, Kathryn Thompson IV and Peter Scurr IV.

Congratulations to all.

John Halter

Written by: John Halter - 19th December 2013

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